JNS.org – The Illinois State House of Representatives Executive Committee on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill that would prohibit state pension funds from including companies that participate in their portfolios in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

The Harper government is signalling its intention to use hate crime laws against Canadian advocacy groups that encourage boycotts of Israel.

Such a move could target a range of civil society organizations, from the United Church of Canada and the Canadian Quakers to campus protest groups and labour unions.
■McMaster students vote to support BDS boycott campaign
■Stephen Hawking boycotts academic conference in Israel
■Watch: Stephen Harper addresses Israel’s Knesset

Because: Unitarian Universalist Principles affirm the worth and dignity of every person, justice in human relations, and the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;

Whereas: The P5+1, (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus Germany), international negotiators, have developed a framework that can ensure Iran can only have a peaceful nuclear program through rigorous inspections and verification;

Whereas: Unitarian Universalists have long supported nuclear non-proliferation negotiations because diplomacy is far better than war;

Whereas: In 2008 the General Assembly passed an Action of Immediate Witness, “Oppose a U.S. Attack on Iran,” calling for negotiations for a nuclear weapons—free Middle East, as required by United Nations Security Council Resolution 687;

Whereas: Iran has accepted the maximum level of transparency and verification ever during the history of proliferation, beyond the current nonproliferation treaty (NPT).

Whereas: Iran has an indispensable role to play in negotiations to curb sectarian violence, curb wider war, and offer hope to regional refugees;

Whereas: In 2010 the General Assembly passed the Statement of Conscience “Creating Peace” in which “We covenant to advocate vigorously for policies and participate in practices that move our nation toward collaborative leadership in building a peaceful, just, and sustainable world;”

Therefore, be it resolved: The 2015 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association affirms the right of all nations and peoples of the region to peace and security and calls upon member congregations to urge Congress to

Support the framework for a nuclear deal with Iran and ongoing negotiations

The petition reads, “Support the framework for a nuclear deal with Iran and the ongoing negotiations—and reject any measures that would sabotage diplomacy. The alternative to diplomacy is war—give peace a chance.”

American international negotiators have scored a breakthrough step for our nation: a framework that can ensure Iran can only have a peaceful nuclear program through rigorous inspections and verification. This is a very significant foreign policy accomplishment of the Obama administration, and promises of a peaceful path with Iran, rather than a rush to war.

As Unitarian Universalists we have long supported nuclear non-proliferation negotiations with Iran. In 2008 the General Assembly passed an Action of Immediate Witness, “Oppose a U.S. Attack on Iran.” It included a call to “ensure that information on Iran provided to the public by this administration is accurate; support negotiations for a nuclear weapons—free Middle East, as required by United Nations Security Council Resolution 687, and for the global abolition of nuclear weapons.” { http://www.uua.org/statements/oppose-us-attack-iran ]

In 2009 the UU General Assembly passed the Action of Immediate Witness, “U.S. Ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).” It states our Seven Principles and underscored these “values which would be flagrantly violated by the massive killing of civilians by the lasting harm to the global environment, which would result from any use of nuclear weapons.” [ http://www.uua.org/statements/us-ratification-comprehensive-nuclear-test-ban-treaty-ctbt ]

In 2010 the General Assembly passed the Statement of Conscience “Creating Peace” in which “We covenant to advocate vigorously for policies and participate in practices that move our nation toward collaborative leadership in building a peaceful, just, and sustainable world.” [ http://www.uua.org/statements/creating-peace%5D

This framework contains the core element the U.S. was seeking in an agreement. Iran has accepted the maximum level of transparency and verification ever during the history of proliferation. Even transparency verification measures beyond the current nonproliferation treaty NPT.